Bathroom Sharing Tips for Couples - Save Space, Time and Your Relationship!

When I asked my parents about the secrets behind the success of their 40-year marriage, my mother replied "Well, we've never had to share a bathroom - that helps." Sharing a bathroom with your significant other can be challenging, especially if your bathroom is as tiny as mine. Common courtesies like putting the seat down and cleaning up toothpaste blobs just aren't enough. Here are some bathroom sharing tips that will save space, time and possibly your relationship!

Towel Hooks, not Towel Racks
Men (and some women) are notorious for leaving towels on the floor or hung sloppily on the rack - a big no-no in a shared bathroom. Lucky for me, my boyfriend is a neat freak who would NEVER leave a towel on the floor, but if your partner is less fastidious, get rid of your towel racks and replace them with towel hooks. It takes no time at all to throw your towel onto a hook - and towels dry quickly and look great even when hung by the sloppiest of showerers. You can also hang lots of towels in very little space - a big plus for tiny shared bathrooms.

Dual Medicine Cabinets
This may not be possible if you don't have a ton of wall space in your bathroom, but having two medicine cabinets is a real lifesaver for us. My boyfriend doesn't have to rummage through my tampons and contact lens solution to find his shaving cream, and vice versa. Our cabinets are hung directly across from each other, which has the added bonus of allowing me to check the back of my hair while I'm brushing my teeth - what a time saver! Also, since we don't have to share a mirror, there's no jockeying for position when we're both in the bathroom doing a final check before heading out the door.

Shower Shaving Mirror
With my boyfriend in mind, I purchased one of these suction cup-backed, fog-free mirrors on a whim, not realizing that we would end up sharing it. Obviously, he can now shave in the shower, freeing up the bathroom sink for me - but I get a good bit of use out of it too. By suctioning it to the edge of the bathtub, I can get a great look at the back of my legs (and nether regions) while I'm shaving, which makes my life a LOT easier (and less painful). Shaving goes a lot faster when you can see what you're doing, so there's less steam for him to deal with if he's trying to use the bathroom at the same time.

Hair and Makeup Solutions
Most women I know have drawers and shelves full of makeup, hairspray and styling products in their bathrooms, which invariably take up most of the shared storage space and end up getting spilled or just plain forgotten. We also usually put on makeup and do our hair in the bathroom, monopolizing the room during prime get-ready-for-work time. The solution? Move toilette to the bedroom. Buy a makeup case or other organizer for toiletries and a nice wall mirror, and set up a vanity area on top of the dresser. If your room is big enough, an actual vanity table with a lighted mirror is even better. Makeup will keep longer since it's out of the heat and steam in the bathroom, and your relationship will last longer because your significant other will be less likely to snap and kill you with one of your 20 mascara wands!

Sharing a bathroom may not be fun, but it can't always be avoided. We make sharing work through a combination of consideration and creative solutions like the ones I described above - and I think most couples can do the same. However, after 40 years, my mother says she's sticking with the 2-bathroom solution!